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Essential 2017 Movies

With 2018 right around the corner, it’s time to reflect on the best flicks of the year. 2017 was a great year for movies with many new spins on established genres and original movies prospering at the box office. There are still many exciting movies still due to come out this year such as “The Greatest Showman” about Bethel’s very own P.T. Barnum; “The Disaster Artist,” which is a hilarious movie about the creation of the worst movie ever made and of course the endlessly hyped franchise installment “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” However, there are many great movies from 2017 now out of theaters now that everyone must see. Here are three of the best movies from this year, unranked, that definitely deserve your time.

Logan (R) – “Logan” is a film about an aging superhero — specifically, Wolverine from the X-Men — who attempts to get an aging Professor X and superpowered young girl named Laura to safety. Logan is presented as a superhero film but in truth it shares more similarities with a classic Western. The film is captivating from start to finish and is brutal, relentless and unsparing. Its R-rating means that it doesn’t have to hold back, so expect Wolverine to amputate a couple of bad folks along the way. As someone who does not typically care for superhero or Marvel films, I can wholly recommend this film regardless if you’re into superheros or not. There is a lot more to this film than just superpowers. It’s an ambitious film that will leave a permanent mark on the superhero genre.

Dunkirk (PG13) – “Dunkirk” is closer to an experience than a film. In brief, Dunkirk was the attempt to evacuate thousands of British troops from French beaches during WWII, when there were a shortage of boats to transport the men. It should be stated that there is no character development in the film, it is all about the event that these people had to go through. It’s an amazingly well-shot film, that will grip your heart, stop your breathing and put you on the edge of your seat. The PG13 rating does not tie its hands in any way. Behind the camera is Christopher Nolan, a director whose films you’ve probably seen before (Dark Knight Trilogy, “Interstellar”) and has a plethora of talent. This movie is best seen on the biggest, loudest screen possible to amplify the experience to full intensity.

Get Out (R) – Of the three films on the list, “Get Out” in my opinion, is the ultimate must see. This film came out of nowhere and took critics and viewers by surprise. It’s horror done right, making you feel uneasy and disturbed. It is creepy, dark, and will leave viewers begging for the protagonist to survive. Everything about this movie is planned to perfection, with foreshadowing and clues splattered throughout and characters that are real and intelligent. It’s an original film, directed by Jordan Peele from “Key and Peele,” who does a fantastic job with making this film an entertaining and brilliant watch.